3. Network noise reduction: the role of computing centers

A first level of white noise reduction - within the network layer - will only be briefly considered in this context, simply because it is well known ground for university computer centers: such computer centers traditionally are concerned with opening and securing information channels, and in this context also traditionally have put to work mechanisms for filtering evident information spam and other unwanted information. Institution-wide policies for e-mail use, installation and configuration of proxies and firewalls are examples of such means for low-granularity noise reduction. The main reason this level is mentioned even though is the fact that any strategy intended to seriously tackle the problem of information overload within a university will have to be based upon the networking layer typically maintained by the computing center and thus calls for active participation of this player.

This fact is one of the major reasons for the choice that has been made at Hamburg University to primarily locate efforts in the central field of semantic noise reduction within the computer center in order to create a maximal potential of synergies among the different players tied together within the common networking infrastructure.

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